A two-day jury trial for the area businessman accused of striking his business rival in the head with a two-by-four ended Friday with no verdict.

Jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether to convict or acquit Oren Mathews of aggravated battery, the third-degree felony he is charged with. The jury could have opted to convict on a lesser charge of misdemeanor battery but failed to reach a consensus.

It’s now up to District Attorney Richard Flores to decide whether to retry or drop the case against Mathews, 48.

Fifteen years later, the project has been completed. A large crowd gathered at the Old Town Mission on Monday afternoon to celebrate the completed renovation of the historic building now used by the Rio Gallinas School.

Constructed in the 1870s, the landmark has wood floors and its walls were constructed with roughly 15,000 adobe bricks. The mission got a complete renovation with most of the work done by volunteers, along with the help of United World College-USA students.

Police probe
armed robbery
Las Vegas police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at Payless Shoe Source last week.
Las Vegas Police Chief Christian Montaño said two to three males went into the store, located on Mills Avenue, between 5 and 6 p.m. on Thursday and demanded money. The men brandished what appeared to be a firearm.
The robbers got away with a small amount of cash, Montaño said. No one was injured.

In 1963
Wednesday, Feb. 6 — Las Vegas has been asked to have representatives at a meeting to Santa Fe on Feb. 14 to encourage immediate legislation against the bypassing of communities by the major highways in the state. Las Vegas and numerous other communities throughout the state have been concerned over the proposed bypassing of their town. Santa Rosa is attempting to get all of the concerned communities together with their State Senators to come up with the best solution to the bypass threat.

Today is 17th annual Kiwanis Pancake Day
Kiwanis annual panckake fundraiser is being held today from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.; from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hillcrest Restaurant Flamingo Room. Tickets are $8 per adult and $5 per kid 10 and younger. Proceeds are used to support local youth programs.

TODAY HOY
• Story Time at Carnegie Library, 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6 in the children’s area of the pubic library. This week’s book is “Mouse Went Out to Get a Snack” by Lyn Rossiter McFarland. Free and open to the public.